PLANTS & PROCESSES AUTO ID The Auto ID Solutions conferences were started in 2006 with the purpose of training staff that are involved in the retail and pharmaceutical supply chains. Training is facilitated by industry experts with decades of bar code experience, who were voting members on the ISO bar code quality specification committee. These practical seminars are designed to provide an under- standing of bar code quality specifications/requirements, bar code print quality and how it applies to the printing industry, im- plications of low quality bar codes, and the differences between different bar code verifier equipment. The attendee will walk away with a solid understanding of the causes of bar code fail- ures and more importantly how to fix these problems. Whether a company is ISO certified or not, this seminar will give users the tools to improve your internal quality process (developed for a wide range of employees from Press Operators to Quality/ISO Managers). As part of the seminar actual customer samples are examined with multiple GS1/ISO/ANSI bar code verification tools. Extensive analysis and discussion of each sample ensure that staff un- derstands the issues and more importantly how to correct any problems. Bar Code Quality Presentation Some of the topics the presenter will discuss: ??General bar code information ??History of Bar Code and Verifier Standards ??Descriptions of bar code verifier tests ??Calculating bar code grades ??Choosing the correct aperture ??How verifiers are used across the supply chain ??Retailer penalty Survey Results ??Developing a bar code quality policy ??Servicing and maintaining your verifier ??Bar code verifier service results statistics ??Operating a Bar Code Verifier ??Bar Code Troubleshooting DataBar (formally RSS) Presentation Some of the topics the presenter will discuss: ??GS1 Databar (formally RSS) general history ??Types of DataBar symbologies ??Information encoded in DataBar bar codes ??Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN) ??Application Identifiers ??Summary of Coupon Requirements ??Summary of FDA Requirements (21 CFR 201-610) This seminar has been developed for individuals and organiza- tions to provide a greater understanding of the fundamentals of bar code print quality. This is a chance to update your knowledge of the latest bar code technologies, products, services, customer requirements, competitive strategies, and standards. AVERY DENNISON Many customers struggle with the same needs—especially regarding sustainability—so conducting a Webinar allows us a broader reach of customers on a topic that many need informa- tion on. 52 FLEXO JANUARY 2009 An example of this is a Webinar we conducted earlier this year around driving value and profit with sustainability. More than 200 customers joined in the virtual event to learn more. It’s as easy as dialing a phone number or linking to a Web site to get edu- cated on a specific topic without leaving the office. At another, we brought in FSC/SCS experts to help converters understand that to get certified isn’t that complicated. We just went through the process, so we feel we can talk and share our experience around it while supporting our customers efforts. Benefits of Webinars include: ??Broader reach of customers with one topic ??Ability to deliver industry experts that typical converter may not have access to—many times an expert is so in demand that he/she could not possibly travel to every customer to deliver one-on-one presentations. ??Opportunity to ask experts direct questions ??Small time investment ??Convenient, no customer travel required ??Free to the attendee; easy to access We will continue with Webinars in 2009, but they will not re- place one-on-one customer interactions. BETA INDUSTRIES The high cost of travel and the need to be more flexible than ever makes virtual training a perfect solution for customers. Remote desktop software allows us to see exactly what the cus- tomer is doing and advise them in real time. There is an additional benefit for customers that may not be particularly computer savvy or comfortable making changes to configuration files or similar chores. Once the link is established, we can view system settings and make the necessary changes. This simplifies the initial setup and facilitates maintenance in the future. Our experience with live remote training indicates that it is well received by the customer. Some have had experience with “automated teaching” systems and found them to be lacking in the immediacy of the feedback, or the inability to deviate from the prescribed track. The convenience of 24/7 availability weighs in their favor, but the live interaction is preferred especially when a group of people are involved where a spontaneous discussion may develop. Proper preparation for the online training session is critical, especially when specific samples and test targets are needed for measurement or calibration. In the specialized area of flexo plate analysis customers produce sample plates from linear or well- documented plate curves. Starting with unknown plates or with manufacturer’s tradeshow samples prematurely brings up the issue of target names as opposed to intended values. Explaining why the patch named 50 percent might measure anywhere from 30 percent to nearly twice that is a topic for a separate discussion. Keeping the session on target and teaching the rules is more im- portant at the outset than explaining the exceptions. While the stated purpose of training is to insure that equip- ment is used by competent operators, there are several other factors that can be equally important. Quality control equipment, particularly in the printing industry, is often viewed with a jaun- www. f le xography. org